Southampton Blotter: Flanders crash leads to DWI arrest

Southampton Town police arrested a 23-year-old Riverhead man after he threatened a woman with a knife Monday.

According to a police report, Wilmer Garcia-Rodriguez displayed a pocket knife to a victim near Vail Avenue and Pine Street in Riverside around 1:30 a.m., telling her to get into the vehicle.

When the victim pulled out her cell phone to dial 911, Mr. Garcia-Rodriguez fled in a Nissan Altima, police said, and the victim observed him pull into the driveway of a Vail Avenue home.

He began backing out of the driveway but pulled back in when he saw a police vehicle approaching, police said.

During a police interview, officers found Mr. Garcia-Rodriguez to be intoxicated and charged him with misdemeanor DWI, third-degree menacing, a class B misdemeanor, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use, a class A misdemeanor.

He was transported to headquarters for processing and held for arraignment.

• A Riverhead man was arrested for driving drunk after a car accident in Flanders Sunday night.

According to Southampton police, Rogelio Lopez-Perez, 47, was involved in a motor vehicle accident involving a pole and another vehicle around 11:47 p.m. near the 7-Eleven in Flanders.

While police interviewed him, he was found to be intoxicated, placed into custody and taken to police headquarters for processing.

Mr. Lopez-Perez was charged with misdemeanor DWI, police said, and no injuries were reported during the accident.

• Southampton Town police arrested a 26-year-old woman for drug possession in Flanders Saturday.

Alyssa Bassat of Flanders was stopped on Flanders Road around midnight and found to be under the influence of drugs and in possession of a small quantity of marijuana and Adderall, police said.

She was arrested and charged with DWAI and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors, and taken to headquarters for processing.

• A Mastic woman was arrested in Flanders Saturday for driving without a valid license.

According to Southampton Town police, Sybille Drew, 33, was pulled over for using a cell phone near the intersection of State Route 24 and County Route 105 just before 2 p.m. when an officer discovered that her license had been suspended in 2017 for failure to answer a summons.

Ms. Drew was arrested and charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, and a violation for using a cell phone while driving.

She was processed in the field and released on an appearance ticket, police said.

• Southampton Town police arrested a Riverhead man last Thursday for driving with a suspended license.

Chris Stewart, 71, was allegedly involved in a motor vehicle accident near Pine Court in Northampton around 4 p.m. During the investigation, police discovered his license had been suspended.

Mr. Stewart was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, and was issued a summons to appear in court at a later date.

• Police arrested a 17-year-old from Bay Shore on a number of drug charges in Riverside last Thursday.

Police said Daniel Hecker was a passenger of a vehicle stopped for an equipment violation and was found to be in possession of marijuana in a backpack, metal knuckles and various illegal prescription drugs in his shorts pocket.

Five counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class A misdemeanor.

• A laptop was stolen from a car at a Lake Avenue residence last Wednesday.

According to a Southampton Town police report, a 31-year-old man called to report that a bag containing a laptop and personal documents had been stolen out of an unlocked vehicle in his driveway overnight.

The victim was able to recover the personal papers, found scattered along the road, police said.

An investigation is continuing and the detective division was notified of a possible pattern of crime in the area.

• A Water Mill woman was arrested on drug charges in Northampton last week.

According to Southampton Town police, Kerry Nolan, 31, was pulled over last Monday just before 5 p.m. for speeding near Old Riverhead Road and Sunrise Highway.

Unable to produce any identification, police said Ms. Nolan initially provided officers with a false name, her sister’s.

Further investigation and a records check revealed her identity and an active bench warrant, police said.

With assistance from a K-9 unit on scene, she was also found to be in possession of four waxy envelopes of heroin and five hypodermic needles, officials said.

Ms. Nolan was arrested and transported to Southampton Town police headquarters for processing. She is charged with second-degree criminal impersonation, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument, all class A misdemeanors.

• Police arrested a Cutchogue woman for drug possession in Riverhead last Monday.

According to police, Maryann Walsh, 44, was observed in Grangebel Park around 2 a.m. by police, who are aware of an active bench warrant with Southampton Town Justice Court.

Upon arrest, she was also found to be in possession of a glass crack pipe containing crack cocaine in her bra, police said.

She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.